No one who loves flowers like to see them getting dried up. To keep flowers fresh and live for many hours, we can use flower preservatives. Most of the flower preservatives available in the market are chemical based.

Those who prefer to try organic methods in life can make these preservatives using natural ingredients. Sugar, lemon essences, vinegar and neem oil are natural flower preservatives.

Sugar helps to boost blooming of flower buds, sustain the fragrance and slow down drying up. Lemon contains citric acid and vinegar has acetic acid. Both help reduce the pH value of water in the flower vase and increase absorption of nutrients. Neem oil acts as a disinfectant.

In a medium-sized flower vase, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and vinegar each and 1-2 ml neem oil in the water. Neem oil can be replaced with fragrant essential oils such as rosemary, palmarosa geranium and ginger grass. They contain phenolic compounds which act as disinfectants.

These natural flower preservatives are affordable and easy to make. Small scale flower farmers and people who engage in flower decoration can make use of these ingredients.

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